Vincent Valerio-Bodon Scouting Report
With the NBA transforming to the concept of positionless basketball, size, and versatility on both ends are becoming more important than ever. How heavily will this weigh on his draft stock?
Player Profile
With the NBA transforming to the concept of positionless basketball, size, and versatility on both ends are becoming more important than ever before.
At 6'10", Vincent Valerio-Bodon has the fluidity of a guard, and in combination with good handles, he is showing flashes of being able to play as a two, three, and four at the next level. On top of that, he has the frame to match. With his long arms and broad shoulders, Valerio-Bodon has the tools to become an impact-maker on both ends of the floor.
Considering his NBA role, his rebounding is the first thing that stands out on film. He has a good feel for where to position himself and gives one hundred percent on defensive box-outs. Grabbing the rebound leads him to initiate the offense in transition in the so-called grab-and-go sequence. With long dribbles, he attacks the rim before the defense can reset. Playing at a higher pace is a difference-maker for teams that want to benefit from their strengths.
On the defensive end, Valerio-Bodon continuously disrupts passing lanes with his long wingspan. The feel for the game is a plus in his draft profile, as he recognizes rotations and schemes run by opponents quickly. Laterally, he has the speed to keep most guards and wings in front of him. The vertical pop isn't as good as I expected, but his size and feel are good enough, resulting in Valerio-Bodon rarely biting on pump fakes while near the post.
Valerio-Bodon is also a good communicator who likes to involve his teammates and talks a lot on defense while accepting the coaching he receives on the offensive end.
As a great off-ball mover, Valerio-Bodon knows how to get to his spots, preferring the right corner and elbow, where he's shooting an outstanding 47%. In terms of his offensive versatility, the lack of strength leads to some untapped potential as a screener and a pick-and-pop option. This is the first area of development in his profile. NBA decision-makers have to factor in his developmental time to add more natural strength to his 200-pound frame.
With the ball in his hands, Valerio-Bodon doesn't show the desire to attack the rim more often than not. While shooting 87.9% from the line, I expected him to leverage more in terms of earning more trips to the free-throw line. With only 1.1 attempts per game, a part of the low free-throw rate is the lack of on-ball reps, but also Valerio-Bodon prefers his pull-up jumper when creating his offense.
With a high-arcing quick release, he forces the defense to close out on him harder, opening a window for him to showcase his playmaking; with a positive assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.5, the returns are solid. However, Valerio-Bodon is an average passer, limiting the offensive versatility in the early stages of his potential NBA career. But the jumper makes up for a lot.
At 22 years old, you can see that years of experience and hard work paid off. Valerio-Bodon is one of the rare prospects that's solid on both jumpers off the catch and in movement, leading to him shooting an outstanding 41.2% on 3.4 attempts per game.
What stood out is his ability to create advantages in the post. Using his great footwork and fluidity, Valerio-Bodon caused the defense to send help in almost every possession I saw. Traditionally, the painted area is more crowded in Europe, blocking him to be a real threat to opposing post defenders due to his inability to match them psychically. However, in the NBA, Valerio-Bodon can leverage this strength to create space for perimeter shooters.
NBA Draft Projection
Vincent Valerio-Bodon is a player that'll touch an NBA court somewhere in his career.
The age, in combination with the areas of development mentioned before, may be held against him. However, he makes it up with his potential versatility and solid feel for the game.
His preparations for the draft are ongoing, and Valerio-Bodon has a few workouts planned in the coming days. Continuing to expand on his game in a G League setting looks like the most fruitful perspective. I project him to end up as an undrafted free agent securing a two-way contract.